Liquids in a drinking container such as a glass or a plastic or paper cup or the like often contain solid objects such as ice, lemon or lime slices, olives, etc. which, during normal drinking, may disrupt the smooth flow of the liquid, causing sudden and awkward spilling of the contents onto the face and clothing of the user.
Devices known heretofore for dealing with these problems are shown for example in the following prior U.S. Pat. Nos.: Swing, U.S. Pat. No. 2,357,063; Toombs, U.S. Pat. No. 2,744,631; Gaines et al, U.S. Pat. No. 2,753,049; Lerner, U.S. Pat. No. 3,549,044; Addington, U.S. Pat. No. 3,940,012 and Lichter, U.S. Pat. No. 4,020,532.
However, these prior art devices suffer from many disadvantages. All of them are generally of a single fixed size, thus precluding adaptability of a single device to a plurality of different sizes and shapes of drinking containers and/or to different levels within a given container. The adaptability of the prior devices is also minimized or negated by their mounting structures which are generally cumbersome and often require interaction and hence also interference with the top or bottom of the container. Such interaction also presents the danger of cracking or breaking the container. Moreover, all of these devices except that shown in Gaines et al are similar or analogous to a strainer in that they substantially and/or uniformly cover the area across the container, leaving relatively small openings for the flow of liquid therethrough. This arrangement is aesthetically inferior in that it creates a mental barrier between the user and the liquid contents and prevents the free flow of and access, e.g., to the liquid to stir the same or to add new solid ingredients or the like. These strainer like devices also suffer from the disadvantage that they are of relatively complex shapes, thereby making them expensive to manufacture and difficult to clean for possible reuse.
Moreover, these prior devices do not address the special problem of positioning an additive such as tea, medication or the like within the liquid for the release of ingredients into the liquid.
Thus, there exists a need for a new and improved retainer for a drinking container which overcomes the problems inherent in the prior devices.